The Stranger Next to Me
by omgpandas
Summary: A retelling of the events in Book 3/4 with a deeper look into the relationships of Bolin, Wei, and Opal as well as the Beifong family. It will be a Bolin/Wei story but there will be Bopal at first too.
1. Chapter 1

**I know the story is a little boring at first since it just re-described events that already happened, but I wanted to provide more details on Bolin, Wei, and Opal's perspective.**

As the train approached closer and closer to the heart Zaofu, lights poured in from the five feet long windows. The metal city was reflective, to say the least. Bolin raised his hand to his eyebrows as a makeshift visor. He grew up in Republic City. He had seen the grandness of Ba Sing Se. But, Zaofu was something different. Bolin had never considered himself a perceptive individual, but Zaofu was exuding perfection to him. He has not stepped foot into the city or looked at it for more than a minute, but he knew that it had to be a utopia. First impressions can mean so much, and Zaofu made one hell of an impact.

Bolin's head turned as the light from the windows was temporarily darkened. His jaw dropped as recognized the large object that blocked the sun. A statute of Toph, made completely of glistening metal, stood firmly in the middle of the sidewalk.

"That statue honors the first metalbender, Toph Beifong. Here, everyone is encouraged to reach his highest potential," Aiwei, the truth seer and, apparently, tour guide, explained.

Bolin's breathing got noticeably heavier and his eyes began to dart back and forth, trying to analyze the city's landscape as quickly as possible.

"Does that mean Toph is here in the city?!"

"No. Unfortunately, Toph has stopped visiting the city in search for enlightenment."

His body slouching back into his seat, Bolin took a deep breath to calm his heart's rapid beating. What a foolish idea - as if meeting someone as extraordinary or legendary like Toph would be that easy. Maybe one day he will be able to meet his idol, the metal bending master.

* * *

><p>Suyin lifted her hand in an elegant and gentle manner, and long metal cables surrounded her grey-haired head as it descended in a spiral around the rest of her body. With a few more complex but little motions, Suyin had transformed the metal cables into an opened lotus flower, in which she balanced herself in the center on one foot. Raising her other foot straight up in the air, she ended her dance sequence. Bolin stood deadly still as he marveled her performance. His eyes intently followed her every move, down to the smallest flick of a finger. He could not help but clap enthusiastically as the matriarch of Zaofu took a bow, even if he was the only one in the room clapping. He was filled with as much jealousy as admiration: metalbending was a gift he was never given.<p>

Suyin walked up to the group. Each step she took seemed to have a sense of purpose; her body language was confident and intrepid.

"Hello, Korra. I am Suyin, mother, wife, dancer, collector, matriarch. And you must be Mako, Bolin, and Asami!"

"Wow, you really did your research!" Mako exclaimed. Bolin knew that Mako had a penchant for being cold and distant on first encounters. After all, his first words to Korra and Asami were not the nicest. Yet, to see himself show any emotion on his face that did not look bored, much less throw out a _compliment_ of all things, must have meant that Suyin impressed Mako as well.

"I make it my duty to know who enters my city. And speaking about who enters my city, why didn't you tell me the chief of Republic City is here?!" Suyin's bright green eyes lit up as she formed a smile. At that particular time, her facial expression was probably closest the one of a kid about to open his birthday presents.

"You know Republic City's police chief?" Korra questioned.

"Of course! She is my sister…" Suyin let her voice trail off as her eyes shifted down the ground, though only just slightly.

"Then why did she not want to come into the city?" Korra's head tilted slightly to the left, letting her brown hair cover her shoulders. Her tone shifted slightly. It appeared to be friendly, but to those around her who knew her best, they knew the tone was secretly, and actually, aggressive. Korra did not trust someone Lin did not.

"My sister and I have had our fair share of issues. I wanted her to come to Zaofu many times, but we could never agree." Her arms slack and motionless by her body, her eyes refusing to look at anything under than the floor, Suyin's smile disappeared into a grimace.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know…" Korra started. This time, her tone was noticeably softer.

"Don't be. It's between me and her. Anyways, let me introduce you to my family. My daughter is the airbender, and I hope you will be able to train her." Suyin turned towards the door, her fingers beckoning Team Avatar to follow her. Again, her walk returned to being confident and proud. The Beifong name had a certain reputation, and Suyin knew her family lived up to it.

* * *

><p>"And these are my youngest: Wei and Wing. They created a metalbending game called power disc all on their own." Slightly raising her left arm, Suyin made a gesture to introduce her twin sons. Wei grunted as the metal power disc flew past his light green eyes, shifting his parted hair from right to left. Luckily, he raised his arm and deflected the disc with a swift turning motion. Wing returned the disc in a similar fashion. The two twins appeared to be in rhythm as they traded the disc back and forth, pushing and pulling, challenging each other.<p>

Bolin had momentarily stopped and approached the railing of the arena, looking over the twins' game. He leaned forward and placed his elbow on the railing so he could rest his head on his open hand. His eyes darted back and forth as he followed the power disc. And like the disc, his eyes also followed in rhythm. He felt tranquil watching the two twins play the game. They were synchronized to the point that only the tiniest of mistakes would lead to a loss. He was hypnotized.

Finally, Wei found an opening as he noticed his brother's stance was unstable during their last trade. Before Wing would have time to recover, Wei stomped the ground with his right foot to propel himself up in the air. And with a roundhouse kick, Wei shot the power disc straight into the goal before Wing had time to react.

"Wow," Bolin muttered under his breath. The twins sure inherited their mother and grandmother's talent for metalbending. Not to mention, Wei and Wing looked damn good with all their sweat under the beaming sun.

"And down goes Wing!" Wei cheered. His right hand in the form a fist pumping the air, he gleefully jumped up and down. He smiled a wide, cheeky smile, knowing that by beating his twin, he would have bragging rights for the rest of the day.

"Nice power, Wei," his mother congratulated. Wei replied with a wave of his hand. Looking up, he saw a variety of new faces, none of which he recognized. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed one face in particular. The mysterious man leaned against the railing, his head on his hand. His green eyes stared intently and directly at him, causing Wei to flinch a bit. Out of habit, Wei greeted the stranger with one of his nervous waves and a small grin.

Noticing that he has stared just slightly too long, Bolin suddenly broke his trance. He rapidly turned his head back and forth, avoiding Wei's gaze. Hearing Suyin's voice becoming more and more distant, he realized he had lost track of time. He gave Wei a quick awkward hand wave before he ran back to the group, standing next to Korra.

"And this is my daughter, Opal."

"Nice to meet you, Avatar Korra." Opal's walk was the inverse of her mother's. Whereas Suyin had a confident stride, Opal's feet walked slower and with a shorter distance. When she reached Korra, she raised her head and used her left hand to move a piece of hair that had covered her eyes. Her right arm remained behind her.

Bolin's eyes widened as he saw Opal. The girls throughout his life had been a handful. There was the confusing and materialistic Ginger, the borderline psychopathic Esna, the stubborn Korra, the fiercely independent Asami, and the cold, steely Lin. Opal had a different demeanor about her. She appeared gentle, calm, and peaceful. It was probably no coincidence that Harmonic Convergence would give her airbending.

"Opal, what a beautiful name!" Bolin was not quite sure what an opal was exactly, wasn't it some sort of mineral? Anyways, it rolled off his tongue and the name left a sweet aftertaste. "My name is Bolin."

"Thanks! My name is Opal! But, I guess you already knew that…" Her face was flushed with a red tint at having embarrassed herself in front of the new earthbender. Both her arms returned to their normal position behind her back as she tried to recede to the background. She gave a nervous smile, her eyes furiously blinking as she anxiously waited for someone to continue the conversation.

She observed Bolin, whose mind seemed to have wandered off with the wind. His eyes were fixated on the garden and accompanying fountain next to where she stood. Thankfully, her mother chimed in with an announcement about dinner. She relaxed a bit, relieved with a hope of redeeming herself in front of Bolin at the dinner table.


	2. Chapter 2

"I present a seared elephant koi with a giant pea tendril with a hibiscus root salad."

"Stunning," Suyin complimented. Next to her, Lin, with her usual permanent scowl, moved the food around with her chopsticks. Analyzing it briefly, she was unimpressed. To her right, Korra marveled at the new food. Even though she was the Avatar, she seldom ate such fancy food.

On one side of the table, Wei and Wing teasingly punched each other as they mocked each other's power disc abilities. Beside them, Huan sighed and laid his head on the table. Wei and Wing's liveliness made his daily life interesting, but a quiet moment with them happened once in a blue moon.

On the other side sat Bolin, Opal, Mako, and Asami. Given the company, the room was loud, bustling, and rambunctious with the noise of friendly conversation.

Bolin tenderly poked at the pea tendril with one of his chopsticks, watching it jiggle a little to the left before snapping back to its original form. He ate a number of strange foods before and he always had an appetite for exotic foods, but this delicacy may be too much. Slowly, he grasped the tendril with his chopsticks and sat it on his tongue. As if in pain, his cheeks moved up and down as his teeth carefully chewed the unknown food, his tongue attempting to savor the flavor.

"You know, I was worried when he said 'pea tendril,' but this is delicious," Bolin blurted to Opal, who sat next to him at the giant dinner table. Without thinking, he let out a hearty laugh to accompany his comment. Tasting the surprisingly succulent food, looking at Opal's soothing smile, laughter was the only appropriate reaction.

And it was contagious. Opal let out a small laugh too, though it was not as strong as Bolin's, which bellowed from his muscular stomach. Her laugh was meeker in comparison, but it was not weaker in its enthusiasm.

"I know right. I don't think I've ever had a bad meal in my life!"

"Oh, I've had plenty when Mako and I were living on the streets. You'll be surprised how bad food from a dumpster can be!"

"Sorry, I didn't know…" Opal's eyes focused on her plate of food. Her mind was in a million places; her thoughts were increasingly incoherent. Her life in Zaofu, being daughter of the leader, was privileged. Status alone made it difficult for people to approach her. Walking down the streets, she saw the way people reacted to her. Their facial expressions transformed from indifference to recognition to fake happiness within a few seconds of her passing them. Even surrounded by family in Zaofu, she found herself often alone, pondering about what life could have been being born in Republic City or Ba Sing Se. Somewhere pretty, somewhere nice – just not as nice as Zaofu.

So, it was that reason that now caused her frustration and her solemn face. Why did she brag about her lavish lifestyle that she was never proud of before? She wanted to let out a heavy sigh, curse under her breath, run to the solace of the bedroom, anything to let her escape this moment. Why did she keep embarrassing herself in front of Bolin?

"No, it's ok, it's ok. It's all in the past now. Things are great now. I got to be a pro bender, fought against a dangerous revolution, became a mover star, and now I'm helping the Avatar rebuild a whole nation." Raising his hand as he mused about the recent past, he used his fingers to count each of his recent accomplishments. A satisfied smirk sneaked onto the edges of his lips. That life truly was in the past.

"Wow, your life sounds so exciting." She wanted to let out another sigh now, one of relief. Thankful that Bolin did not take offense to her previous response, her body slowly leaned in closer to Bolin's. Her eyes attentive and a small grin forming, Opal prepared to listen. Zaofu will always be her home first, but she might consider it as a prison second. She never left Zaofu except for the one time her family went to Republic City on a rare vacation. The outside world was as mysterious as the stranger sitting beside her. Her ears piqued by Bolin's cheerful voice, she was ready to be enthralled by the stories of his adventures. However, the next thing she heard was the shrill tone of her mother's voice.

"If you have something to say to me, Lin, then just say it!" Suyin commanded. The sound of dishes clattering against the table filled the room as Suyin pounded her table cloth with what might as well have been a literal iron fist.

Lin stormed off the dining room, shutting the door behind with a loud boom. Nobody said a word. The silence lingered in the air, too fragile for anyone to dare break. Nervous glances were exchanged across the room. No one was quite sure what to do.

Opal picked up a piece of her elephant koi and stuffed it in her mouth. With the once lively atmosphere of the dinner table completely killed, she will have to wait another time to hear Bolin's stories.

* * *

><p>"So, you and Opal seemed to have hit it off at dinner. I think she's into you," Mako commented. Swiping some fancy hair cream next to the sink, Mako applied it generously to his hair. The upward spike near the front of his hair did not come naturally – or easily for that matter. He was thankful that the Beifong's bathroom would be fancy enough to have hair cream since his hair had fallen out of place from the eventful day.<p>

"Yeah, she's pretty, and sweet, and super nice," Bolin contemplated. With her innocent effeminate charm, Bolin was interested in what was below Opal's seemingly cute exterior. The way she bit her lower lip while attempting to avoid eye contact when she thought she made an embarrassing mistake caught Bolin's attention. Normally, he would not be so keen on picking up such subtle movements. Mako often teased him for letting obvious jokes fly right past his head and for his poor judgment of people. As a testament to their brotherly insults, Bolin had not been able to go through a week without his older brother making some backhanded joke about his "dangerously stupid" relationship with Eska. To Bolin, Opal appeared more like a sheltered little sister than a romantic interest.

"Too bad she's not my type," Bolin continued with a slight reluctance in his voice.

"Oh, I forgot. You're type is dumb mover star or psycho ice princess," Mako responded, dryly and sarcastically. He had that funny little smirk on his face, the one he had whenever he teased his younger brother, and Bolin wanted to smack it right off.

But, Mako was right.

Bolin had dated women who were the epitome of insensible. He doubted that his exes had any amount of common sense in their bodies, yet he _did_ choose to date them. And, at one point in time, he _did_ find them attractive. So, maybe it was him that lacked common sense. If Ginger and Eska's demanding personalities were not compatible with Bolin's, Opal's gentleness might be exactly what he needed.

"Hmm…you're right, bro. Maybe Opal is Bolin material." Bolin winked to himself at the mirror, taking some of that fancy hair cream to straighten out his trademark squiggle of hair that rested right on top of his forehead. He clicked his tongue as he checked himself out in the mirror.

Mako rolled his large hazel eyes and accompanied the action with a small chuckle. He knew this ritual; he has seen it quite a number of times in his life. It was the same ritual he saw minutes before Bolin asked Korra out on a date. The last time he saw it was when Bolin wanted to impress Esna.

* * *

><p>The cold night air wrapped around Bolin as he entered the courtyard. The night's chill became exponentially stronger when he got closer to Opal. Gracefully moving her arms in a fluid motion, she created gusts of wind that spread throughout the entire courtyard. Bolin's jaw dropped ever so slightly as he marveled at Opal's airbending. For somebody with only one lesson, she was a natural. Every gust of wind he felt made him a tad bit warmer. Each gust only made his heart beat faster, his stomach rumble with butterflies, his blood rush through his veins. She made him nervous so easily.<p>

"Hey, little lady. Wooow, you're really _blowing _me away with your airbending." A double entendre and a pun in one. Satisfied, Bolin gave an awkward but confident smile. He was sure that his unique sense of humor will be able to swoon Opal. Moving his arms in a strange manner, Bolin attempted to mimic Opal's airbending to follow up his supposedly clever statement.

Opal squinted her eyes, narrowing her eyebrows in the process. The Bolin before her was not the same Bolin she talked to during dinner. To describe the new Bolin in one word, Opal would choose creepy. Had she not met him before, she would have called for security immediately. Was this the real Bolin? Whatever the case, Opal did not want to waste time with whatever was in front of her. She wanted to get to the bottom of it as quickly as possible.

"Why are you acting so weird?"

"Why are _you _acting so weird?"

Opal turned her head in disgust. Arms sternly folded across her chest, she started to go back to her bedroom. Bolin was impossible to take seriously. The fact that he answered her question by simply repeating the question made her furious. She was not a child, and neither was he. It was such a stark contrast to their dinner conversation, where she could have listened to him for hours. Now, she could not wait to get away. If he was not going to take her seriously, neither would she.

Bolin frowned. He knew his sense of humor did not appeal to everyone. Aware that he had alienated himself from a number of Mako's friends and countless strangers, he often had to pay attention to make sure his comments would not be construed as being offensive. He had grown accustomed to it because in the end, he knew there were people out there who loved him for what he was, arguably questionable humor and all. Opal could have just been another stranger that Bolin alienated, but he hated seeing her upset. Upset because of what he said. Upset because of what he presented himself as. The best he could do right now was to apologize and attempt to explain his own behavior.

"Look, I'm sorry. I just get really self conscious when I know a girl likes me, and I… I end up acting stupid."

"Who said I liked you?" Opal quipped. Her eyes softened a bit, once again showing her gentler nature. She let out the tiniest of smiles, satisfied with Bolin's apology. At least he recognized his own mistakes and corrected them. She appreciated someone who listened to her actions, someone who cared about what she thought.

"Oh no, but I thought…Mako said…" At this point, Bolin's mouth was sputtering whatever it wanted. He sometimes had a knack for making a situation worse than it already was, and he just made this situation worse. Mentally, he was kicking himself all over.

"Just kidding! Do me a favor, and stop trying. Well, don't stop trying… just stop trying so much. Just be yourself."

"Yeah, I guess I could give that a shot!" Bolin replied, excitedly. Her words were music to his ears. Had she been serious with her original comment, Bolin probably would refuse to talk to another female ever again. He let out a gigantic grin in appreciation.

She did not say anything in response, letting the silence of the night control the atmosphere. Instead, she found herself lost, perhaps in a trance, as she stared into his bright green eyes. He had a funny chubby nose, she just noticed. It was cute though, almost like a puppy. It contrasted the rugged features of his face, framed by his protruding facial muscles. If Bolin was frowning, he would appear frightening, like the type of guy that you wouldn't want to be near to on the street. But, right now, she wouldn't mind if he got closer, close enough so she could smell his scent or feel the touch of his scarred arms.

"Mmph-mmph!"

Korra's little cough sliced through the once silent atmosphere. Swiftly turning her head, Opal shot Korra piercing death glares for a split second. She could have killed the Avatar right then and there, but she could not blame her for interrupting a moment she probably did not know was happening. Oh well. Judging by Bolin's grimace, he was not too happy with Korra either. It was a special moment for him too.


	3. Chapter 3

The meteorite mocked him. Resting high up on the pedestal, Bolin could hear it taunting him. Countless times had he tried to bend metal, begging for it to move, budge, bend, and let him control it. Despite his best efforts, however, the art of metalbending had always eluded him. He had convinced himself that he just was not that "1 in a 100" earthbender gifted with such an ability. Yet, being in the city of the Metal Clan, he was surrounded by metalbenders. How could the ability be that rare? And just an hour ago, he witnessed Korra learn metalbending within a matter of minutes. She was the Avatar and everything, but it just was not fair. He tried all his life, gave it his all, and the metal would not move a single inch. No, not for him. It started to seem like it would not move only for him.

The meteorite stood there. Of course it stood there. Who around it could possibly make it move? Again, the meteorite taunted him, knowing that Bolin could only helplessly watch while it lazily laid on the pedestal. It was superior to him.

Frustrated, but moving stealthily to not get caught, Bolin swiped the meteorite off the pedestal. Planting his feet firmly into the ground, emulating a common metalbending stance, he once again attempted to metalbend. Suyin's earlier words to Korra echoed into his mind: focus on the earth within the metal. He closed his eyes and searched for the ubiquitous element. Earthbending had been second nature to him all his life. Not a day goes by without him earthbending, allowing him to feel connected to not just his surroundings, but the very planet itself.

This time, he felt nothing. The familiar touch of earth was nowhere to be found within the meteorite. Blood surging through his veins, Bolin's temple bulged as he summoned all his strength to his arms. He was going to make the meteorite budge. He was not going to let the earth betray him.

"Hey Bolin!" Opal's cheerful greeting easily broke through Bolin's fragile concentration like a hammer to glass. Shocked by the sudden noise, Bolin turned his body to the source of the sound.

"Opal! Oh wow, you… really know how to sneak up on someone," Bolin replied, slowly and almost painfully. Having wasted most of his energy trying to bend the meteorite and being caught off guard by Opal, he did not have the time to think of a proper response.

"What are you doing?" Opal narrowed her eyebrows, the way she did when she felt Bolin was acting out of character. Looking at his awkward body movements and his nervous tone, she was uneasy.

"Oh nothing, just thinking about my body and mustaches that I might have…" His hands behind his back, he tried his best to simultaneously hide the meteorite and balance it back onto the pedestal. He thought he had succeeded until he heard the quite loud sound of the meteorite hitting the metal floor.

"You're acting weird again," Opal bluntly stated. Mustaches, how ridiculous. She gave him one of her piercing glares.

"Sorry. I'm…I'm just frustrated. I've been trying to metalbend, but I just haven't been able to figure it out. Don't tell anyone, ok?" As he said those words, Bolin winced a little. His inability to metalbend was his sole insecurity. He was not there when his parents were killed being mugged in the city. He would have been overpowered by the Equalists if Mako and Korra had not been there. Korra was the one who had saved Mako from Amon's clutches. Metalbending was not the magical key that solved everything, he understood that, but Bolin felt so weak in his failure to learn it. How could he protect the ones he loved when he could not grasp this simple concept? He felt like the same scared, helpless child he was years ago. He no longer wanted to be a burden.

"Why not?" Opal questioned.

"Because it's embarrassing. I have been trying to metalbend ever since I heard about Toph. Your grandmother is my biggest hero," Bolin answered, looking down on the ground. His body felt lighter, as if it was no longer being weighed down. Even when Mako asked about his earthbending training, he never told anyone about his struggles with metalbending. Having told Opal was cathartic, releasing years of built up stress.

Opal could tell by his anguished expression that she had accidentally stumbled upon a gentle subject. Walking up so she could rest a caring hand on his shoulder, she offered a solution.

"My mom grew up with Toph. Go train with her, stop being so scared." Her words were gentle yet stern. She knew from her conversation with at breakfast that Bolin was embarrassed to ask for her mother's help. At first, she thought she Bolin was being prideful when he brushed off her earlier proposal to train with mother. Now, she can see that it was fear in his face.

"Maybe I am scared, but what about you? I know you want to go to the Northern Air Temple to train with Tenzin, but you haven't done it because you're afraid too," Bolin countered.

Taking a step back, Opal was surprised by Bolin's sudden change in attitude. His words stung, but she knew that only meant that they were true. Her mother had shot down Korra's idea of bringing her to the Northern Air Temple so quickly and so effortlessly that asking her again appeared futile. In fact, as much as she desired to go train with Tenzin, she had never considered it a possibility. That is, until now.

"You know what, you're right. I don't want to leave my family and disappoint my mom." Raising her head to get a view of the horizon, Opal wondered about how her mother would possibly allow her to leave for the Northern Air Temple by herself.

As soon as she stopped talking, Bolin gave her a hug from behind. His muscular arms embraced her tiny frame like pieces of a puzzle that fit together.

"We're both scared, but I'm scared to fail. You're only scared that your mom will say no," Bolin stated. "She's your mom. Her job is to support you and sooner or later, she'll realize that you're not a little girl any more."

Opal gave Bolin a smile in appreciation. The more she listened, the more confidence she gained. His usual jovial demeanor was replaced by a rather serious facial expression, akin to a younger version of her father, a man who is deadly serious when he is most caring.

"You should ask your mom for permission. It's your life, not hers. And besides, the worst she can do is say no," Bolin continued. "Besides, I heard your grandma Toph ran off with Aang without listening to what her parents said."

"No, I can't follow in my grandma's footsteps," Opal said, chuckling. "But, I can ask. And you should too."

"Then it's a deal!" Bolin exclaimed, giving Opal a giant bear hug while showing her a smile that showcased all of his pearly white teeth.

"Look at us, supporting each other," he murmured.

Secretly, Opal was almost literally suffocating from Bolin's hug. Wondering if he could actually underestimate his strength to this degree, she decided not to say anything. She let the warmth of his embrace travel through the rest of her body as she breathed in his sweet yet earthly aroma. This was a moment she knew Korra could not interrupt, and she dare not interrupt it herself either.

* * *

><p>Korra's intense gaze focused on her dueling opponent, one half of the Beifong twins, Wing. Clearing her mind of any extraneous thoughts, she prepared herself for the metalbending duel. This sub-skill of earthbending was still relatively new to her, so her concentration had to completely intact. The beat of her heart rumbled through her body as it tried to match her increased adrenaline. In her battle-ready stance, she waited for her opponent to make the first move.<p>

Extending his arms, Wing metalbended two meteorites directly at Korra but she deflected them with ease. Without allowing time to even blink, she countered by attempting to lash at her opponent with the metal cables connected to her waist. When she heard the familiar sound of metal forcefully hitting the ground, she knew she had missed.

Seeing an opportunity, Wing stepped on the cable, making Korra lose her balance. With another strategic movement of his arms, he metalbended the cable into a spiral, sending it directly at Korra. Her body still off balance, Korra had no time to react. She could only watch helplessly as her metal cable tangled around her, causing her to fall to the ground with a loud thump.

"I can't believe I'm sparring with the Avatar!" Wing announced.

"I can't believe I'm stuck with her friend," Wei answered.

Disappointed in having missed his chance to duel with the Avatar, Wei analyzed his opponent. Though he recognized him as one of the Avatar's companions from a few days back, he never had the opportunity to get a real good lock. Now that he had the chance, he could tell that he was rather beefy, with a build similar to a wrestler. His arms were noticeably large, but toned, which probably symbolized his talent in earthbending. He had a goofy facial expression as he tried his best to metalbend the meteorite in between his hands, ultimately to no avail.

Smirking, Wei decided to help the struggling earthbender with techniques that his twin had used on him when they were younger. Bending the metal panels beside Bolin, Wei quickly raised them up to briefly sandwich him.

"Trial by fire, it is the best way to learn metalbending," Wei explained, his hands already in position to launch a meteorite at Bolin.

Just barely dodging the meteorite, Bolin lunged a small pebble of earth, hitting Wei right in the center of his forehead. Pain rushing to his head, Wei rubbed his forehead with both his hands.

"Ooo, nice shot Bolin, but I thought you were supposed to be practicing metalbending, not earthbending," Mako commented, as he entered the courtyard with Asami by his side.

"Yeah, cheater," Wei muttered under his breath. Upset over the fact that he was blindsided by a non-metalbender, Wei wished for a rematch. Though he had to admit, Bolin was a tough opponent. His movements were strong and stable, like any good earthbender. But, he was also agile with quick reflexes. Yes, for someone that cannot bend metal, he was impressive. There was also something about him, something that Wei could not put his finger on, that made Bolin all the more interesting.

"Rematch?" Wei asked. "We can make it earthbending only."

"Sure," Bolin responded. "Let's do it sometime tomorrow."

Preparing to watch the end of Wing and Korra's duel, Bolin only briefly noticed Wei's casual, inviting smile. It must be a family trait.

* * *

><p>His heart sank. He had grown accustomed to the Beifong's family dinners. As an orphan who occasionally had to eat out of the trash, he deeply appreciated being with the Beifongs. Despite his short stay, they were the surrogate family that he always dreamed for. There was the genius father, a mother who would kill for her children, an emo hipster artist, forever energetic twins, and a beautiful, intelligent daughter.<p>

Worried about the despair that was to come, Bolin let out a heavy sigh. On the one hand, he supported Opal and her going to the Northern Air Temple. He had eavesdropped on her conversation with her mother, admiring her newfound independence and self confidence. She had articulated her desires and goals so expertly that he knew even someone so rooted in her ideals as Suyin would be unable to deny Opal her dreams.

However, as the time for Opal's departure slowly crawled towards reality, Bolin was afraid to let her go. Their friendship had only just been born, and its growth was accelerating at a thrilling pace. To stop it now, so abruptly, could have unforeseen consequences. More importantly, her presence had permeated so much of his life lately, imagining a day without her seemed impossible.

As the chef presented tonight's dinner, a kale veggie wrap, Opal's favorite, Bolin accepted that she would leave soon. In the end, this was the best for Opal, to explore the world like Bolin was able to once he crossed the Avatar's path.

"Whenever I eat raw kale, I'm going to think of you," Bolin joked to Opal, hoping to make the best of their last conversation.

"How sweet," Opal joked back.

"This sucks, we're just starting to get to know each other, and now you're leaving for the Northern Air Temple," Bolin continued.

"We'll be back together soon," Opal comforted.

"But that's in the future. I hate the future," Bolin retorted with a slight hint of sarcasm, bending his arms to pretend that he was mourning someone's tragic death. He hated that he had to wait for the future, but the future had Opal, along with a number of unexpected surprises. If he had thought about his future two years ago, he definitely would not have put the Avatar in it, or Opal for that matter.

"For now, we'll always have kale," Opal mused. Raising her hand to offer her kale wrap, she watched attentively as Bolin painfully chewed it. It was incredibly obvious that he hated kale, but she assumed he tortured himself for her farewell dinner. Fascinated by his comedic chewing, she could feel a sense of dread creeping into her mind. She did not think that she would miss Bolin too much, at least not to this degree, but the butterflies in her stomach told her otherwise.

Suddenly, the sound of someone clinking a wine glass dispersed throughout the room.

"Tonight, my beautiful girl leaves for the northern air temple. Opal, none of us could be more proud. You're an incredible daughter, friend, and soon to be airbending master," Suyin toasted, giving a kiss to her daughter. "May she lead us into a new era."

Moved by the statement, Bolin lifted his drink high up into the air. That was something he could toast to.


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter takes place after the episode, 'The Terror Within,' where Zaheer and the Red Lotus infiltrated Zaofu and attempted (but ultimately failed) to kidnap Korra. Aiwei's identity as a Red Lotus member is also revealed.**

* * *

><p>"Are you fucking serious?" Wei weakly muttered, recoiling from the impact, and at the same time, rubbing his forehead to ease the pain. Beside him, Wing laid on the floor, his hand pounding the floor, as his laughter boomed inside Wei's ears. This had been the second time Wei walked into a door in the past five minutes, and Wing's laughter managed to be more obnoxious than the first time.<p>

Opening the door, but immediately closing it for Wing, Wei entered his bedroom. The sun's morning rays heated the room, giving it a musty atmosphere. Even with the curtains closed, light shone through the windows and left bright patterns on the bed sheets.

Wing groaned. Oh, how he despised the Red Lotus right now. Trying to kidnap the Avatar was one thing; interrupting him while he was sleeping was another. Having kept them up all night, he and Wei just now had the time to return to their long awaited bedroom and get some well deserved and much needed rest. He longed to jump into the cool touch of his mattress, to let the warmth of the blanket embrace him, and fall asleep effortlessly. When he felt the hot, uninviting fabric of his bed, he would have cursed the world for the travesty, but he was too exhausted to care. In a matter of seconds, he was already snoring.

Meanwhile, Wei eagerly snuggled himself into his bed. Twisting and turning his body in every direction, he attempted to find a comfortable position. As the adrenaline died down in his body, every sensation became amplified. The sound of the birds chirping became unbearably loud, bumping into a door became surprisingly painful, and the memory of a criminal group invading his home became all the more terrifying. He needed sleep, but it would not come to him.

The look on his mother's face, after she learned about Aiwei's betrayal remained implanted in his mind. A mixture of anger, shock, and fear, it was an expression that he had not seen before. His mother had always been in control, it was practically an innate characteristic of hers. Seeing her scrambling around the house, interrogating every guard, bags deepening around her eyes, biting her nails, voice weakening… Wei felt worried for the safety of his home. Zaheer and his group possessed some powerful abilities, powerful enough to almost kidnap the Avatar in Zaofu and escape unscathed. Almost. The battle was not what kept replaying in his mind, however, it was his mother's words in the aftermath.

"Capture Aiwei, bring him back to me." Her body tense, Suyin demanded and commanded her soldiers with an unforgiving tone. Wei had only heard her mother's voice this stern one other time. He and Wing had accidentally burned down the entire dance theatre when their power disc accidentally crashed into a portable generator, which for some reason was next to some flammable materials. That was the last time they tried playing power disc anywhere out of their courtyard arena unless they wanted to face their mother's wrath.

When his mother walked in the direction of the Avatar's apartment, he knew what task she was going to give the Avatar and her group. Her decision weighed heavily on his mind. Following Aiwei could lead directly to the Red Lotus, who had held their own against his mom, aunt, and numerous Zaofu guards. Under the circumstances, the situation was at best, dangerous, and at worst, deadly.

Minutes passed and with each tick of the clock next to him, he grew increasingly uncomfortable. Observing a shadow move past under the small opening at the bottom of his bedroom door, he knew it had to be his mother. Their parent's bedroom was the only other room in this hallway, and his father should have gone to bed by now.

Noticing an opportunity, he crawled out of bed, gently as to not disturb his snoring twin, and silently opened the door to step out to the hallway. His mother, being alert to the familiar shift of the earth beneath her feet, stopped and greeted him with a warm smile.

"Wei, I didn't expect you to still be awake."

"Yeah," Wei replied, nervously scratching the back of his head. "I've been thinking… I mean, there's been something worrying me with this whole Red Lotus situation and …"

"Oh, don't be worried," his mother interjected. She moved toward her son in order to give a comforting hug. "I know they sneaked past our security and almost kidnapped Korra, but that was with Aiwei, that mole. Trust me, any other moles will be found and taken care of."

Her mother's deadly serious appearance made it obvious that she had already devised plans to protect the city, and she was not going to take any traitors lightly. Although the comment comforted Wei, another issue still bothered him.

"What about Aiwei?" Wei prodded. "He's still out there."

"He'll be brought to justice." Suyin declared, flatly but firmly, her strict facial expression unmoved. "He won't escape, not for long. I've sent Korra after him."

"Don't you think it's dangerous? Sending the Avatar after a group that wants to kidnap her?" Wei asked. His inflections were slightly interrogatory, almost accusatory. Removing himself from his mother's hug, an icy tension lingered in the air, barely.

"I didn't send her after Zaheer and his group," Suyin defended. "I sent her to apprehend Aiwei."

"And what if Aiwei runs to Zaheer? Are they not part of the same group?!" Wei's voice was louder, somewhat yelling. Blood rushing to his head, his eyebrows narrowed, the anger in his face became apparent.

"Shhh, Wei, please," Suyin hushed, signaling Wei to quiet down. "Everyone is sleeping."

"So what if they're sleeping. They're not chasing some criminal group with people that blow shit up with their mind or bend lava from the ground." Ignoring his mother's gesture to be calm, his words echoed throughout the hallway.

Suyin, startled and perplexed, took a step back and stared blankly at her son. Startled because she had not seen this side of Wei before; she did not know his temper could be so unpredictable. Perplexed because she did not know what caused the sudden outburst. Did he want to know more about what was going on? Was he angry that his home was invaded? Could he truly be this upset that she secretly asked the Avatar to track down that traitor, who had endangered all their lives? For once in her role as a mother, she felt totally out of control. After what seemed like a long, awkward pause, she resumed the conversation, trying to lower the volume.

"Wei, what's wrong? Are you upset with the plans because I can go over them with you…"

"No, it's not that!" Wei hastily interrupted. "Well, maybe a little. I'm upset about the part of your plan for Korra and her friends to go after Aiwei."

Suyin was truly confused. She opened her mouth to respond but no words left her tongue. Her mind completely stumped by Wei's reaction, she had no other choice but to stare at her son, her face pleading for an explanation.

"Someone could get hurt," Wei finally said, breaking the silence. Muttering under his breath, his volume finally matched his mother's hushed tone.

"She's the Avatar," his mom replied, speaking reluctantly as to not accidentally trigger another outburst. "She has her friends too. Lin said that they held their own against that Equalist Revolution a while back and one of them was one of her best detectives."

"It's still dangerous, and unnecessary. You should've sent Kuvira and some guards," Wei stated, arms folded across his chest, his delivery appeared blunt but was laced with emotion. His gaze could have burned holes through his own mother.

"Then wouldn't Kuvira and the guards be in danger?" Suyin countered, raising an eyebrow. Wei had never been passionate in politics of any sort, or expressed interest in anything other than the normal teenage subjects. She could not believe that Wei was involved enough in international matters that he worried more for the Avatar than someone as close to the family as Kuvira.

"Yeah, but… but…" Wei stuttered, his eyes shifting. "They're not after Kuvira, they're after the Avatar…"

"And when did you become so worried about the Avatar?" Suyin asked, searching for an honest answer.

"And when did you decide to risk lives so you can satisfy your desire for vengeance?" Wei rebutted, once again raising his voice. He pointed an accusatory finger at his mother's face, which exposed her dumbfounded expression.

"Why do you think I did this for revenge? I did it to protect the city. Aiwei has important knowledge, knowledge I need," Suyin remarked, her tone becoming hostile while her face formed a frown. She may not understand what was going on her with son, but she was not going to let her motives be questioned.

"I knew you trusted him," Wei began, relenting his glare and softening the harshness in his voice, revealing his sympathy for his mother's situation. "And I know he needs to be captured. But sending the Avatar's group after him, it's just so dangerous…"

Taking a deep breath before continuing the situation, Suyin tenderly put a single hand on Wei's shoulders. Her youngest son was not so young anymore. She could only chuckle as she imagined how Wei, who not long ago tried to microwave aluminum foil-wrapped burrito, would shape into a mature young adult.

"You know, Wei, you're probably right. I…I was just so furious when I heard about Aiwei. And I thought Korra would have the best chance at catching him, especially with that polar bear dog of hers. I shouldn't have sent her," Suyin admitted. "I'll talk to Lin after she wakes up about finding Korra."

"Thanks, mom," Wei replied. His voice was tired, but that could not disguise its sincerity.

"I love you," his mother said, kissing him on the forehead and bringing him into a hug. He was not the same child that she used to always hug. She found the hug to be different, noticing Wei's recent growth spurt, but all the same satisfying. Huan would not let her anywhere near him anymore (something about 'crushing his sense of freedom'), while Baatar Jr. and Opal were already too old as well for her to give that same motherly hug. Holding on little too long, she began to miss the days when her kids had to depend on her, when they followed her every word unchallenged.

"Get some sleep," she continued, walking towards her own bedroom. "I'll see you at breakfast, or lunch, or whatever meal we eat when we wake up."

"Ok, see ya mom," Wei said, waving her goodbye as he slipped into the bedroom, slowly closing the door behind him. Shutting his eyes and raising his arms up in the air, he let out an extensive yawn. The sun was up even higher than it was before, illuminating the room with a yellow and orange glow that was unsuitable for getting a good night's sleep.

"What was all that about?" Wing's question sliced through the delicate air, catching Wei off guard and causing him to flinch in response.

"Nothing, just talking to mom," Wei responded, dryly, as if trying to end the conversation as quickly as possible. He crept onto his bed, resting his head on the pillow and bringing the blanket up to his shoulders. Closing his eyes, he prepared for the sweet bliss of rest.

"That didn't sound like nothing." At the moment, Wing's words were like nails to a chalkboard for Wei. He wanted to give a death glare to his twin, but that would require him opening his eyes, along with raising his head from the soft embrace of the pillow.

"It's none of your business," Wei stated, drowsily.

"I think it's my business that my twin likes a certain earthbender," Wing teased, a devious smile forming at the edges of his lip.

"What?" Wei snapped, in disbelief. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't deny it. I saw the way you practically drooled over him at dinner." To Wing's amusement, his brother's reaction was surprisingly defensive. Normally, when he and his brother engaged in their 'playful' banter, they would both end up with a punched stomach or bruises covering every inch of their body. It did not matter who initiated it, there was always a reaction of equal strength. Fighting for the last laugh was how they bonded as brothers, but Wei was trying his best to dismiss him. Perhaps, he was too tired to talk, but Wing was curious as to what caused his brother's agitated conversation with their mom.

"I still don't know what you're talking about. Just quit it, I want to sleep."

"Sleep with Bolin, you mean?"

Wing was just barely able to lower his head in time to dodge the pillow that was beamed right at his head. A second later, he was cowering behind the wooden dresser to avoid the metal spikes that were hurled at him. Cursing under his breath, he regretted pushing Wei's buttons slightly too much. After everything that happened last night, they were both exhausted and he certainly was not in the mood to ache his body even more.

"Hey, you shouldn't metalbend our lamps as weapons…" Wing could not finish his statement before yet another projectile headed straight his way, with speed faster than a lightning bolt. Praying to any God that would listen, Wing realized just how wrong he was to judge his twin's reaction as 'defensive.'

"Hey, hey, truce?" Wing cautiously emerged from his position behind the dresser, his hands up in the air to symbolize his surrender.

"Fine, but don't bring up Bolin," Wei warned.

"I'm sorry, bro, but after hearing how much you cared about mom's decision to send Korra after Aiwei, I just connected the dots," Wing explained, shrugging his shoulders.

"You eavesdropped on our conversation?!"

"Well, after you waked me up with all your yelling, it wasn't like I had a choice…" Wing began. "I knew there had to be more than just the Avatar that bothered you."

"You don't know anything." Wei could feel the temperature in his body rising, a natural response to his twin's intrusive nature. At any other time, he would have gladly teased back at Wing, even throw a few punches here and there. After all, it was basically a daily ritual for them. But, the more words Wing spewed from his mouth, the more Wei wanted to rip his tongue out. Anger was not the primary emotion that Wei felt, though. Yes, Wing induced anger, but his statements unveiled another feeling inside Wei, something different entirely, though he could not put his finger on it.

"I see the way you look at him. I saw how you smiled at him while you were dueling each other. And at dinner, I could barely get your attention. You were always looking in his direction," Wing explained. "You're not so worried about the Avatar's safety as much as you are worried about _his _safety."

"Good night."

Falling back into his bed, Wing chuckled softly to himself. Every time Wei dodged a question or stopped a conversation abruptly, it meant that Wing had stumbled upon a touchy subject. His twin sure was an easy book to read, now that he had learned how Wei ticked. Wing just hoped that Wei could not read him as easily as he could read Wei.


End file.
